The anticipation for the Swedish government’s climate policy action plan is reaching a fever pitch as it is set to be submitted to the Riksdag in December. Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari has been steadily building expectations with every deflection of questions about the government’s climate policy, instead pointing to the forthcoming action plan.
The heightened focus on the climate policy action plan in the political debate underscores the significance of the climate act from 2017, which mandates that the government must submit an action plan every four years detailing how climate goals will be achieved. This emphasis can be viewed as a testament to the effectiveness of the legislation.
However, there is also a growing sense of frustration over the vacuum that has surrounded climate policy since the current government took office. While decisions have been made, some of which may increase emissions, there has been a lack of clarity about what will replace them. The government’s repeated references to the upcoming action plan have left many questions unanswered, leading to concerns about the lack of a concrete direction for climate policy.
As the submission deadline for the climate policy action plan approaches, there is a palpable sense of urgency for the government to deliver a comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for addressing the climate crisis. The expectations are high, and the spotlight is firmly on the government and Minister Pourmokhtari to provide a robust plan that will chart a course towards a sustainable and low-emission future.